Letter - Balanced budget clauses are detailing economic recovery

To the editor:

Progressive governmental policies have been the foundation of Douglas County’s economic development for decades. The Tea Party agenda would have doomed our agricultural community, prevented building the interstate highways, Alexandria Technical College and Douglas County Hospital. Twelve million dollars of county construction projects last year were publicly funded.

My father was a dedicated Douglas County employee for 20 years. Public servants’ wages contribute to the economic success of local businesses and pay taxes that help support public safety and schools.

In the midst of the worst recession since the 1930s, the anti-government, anti-tax Tea Party targets public workers’ jobs: Blaming them for government deficits and pushing for cuts in their wages and benefits, while Republicans fight to preserve Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. A Bloomberg survey says government employment has fallen to its lowest level since 1968.

Tea-Party-forced balanced budget clauses at the state level are derailing real economic recovery. They have legislatively blocked every effort by the federal government to create jobs. Recently, Republicans in the U.S. Senate even blocked the passing of a jobs bill for veterans.

A Tea Party controlled government would have dire consequences for rural Minnesota. Think carefully before voting in November!

Bruce and Theresa Kakac

Alexandria, MN

(A paid political letter)

Tags: opinion, letters